Coating machine



March 16, 1943. w; P. OSGOOD COATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 m E 0 9 MN E m I m m m m m m T m. WN MN @N T W W m N A7- TURNE.

March 16, 1943. w. P. OSGOOD I COATING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 28, 1939 MW ATTURNE 7 NQENTUR WH (RW- Patented Mar. 16, 1943 COATING MACHINE Walter P. Osgood, Maiden, Mass, assignor to Boston Machine Works Company, Lynn, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 28, 1939, Serial No. 258,967

11 Claims. (01. 91-s1) The present invention relates to coating machines which are used in many industries and which have a wide use in the manufacture of shoes to apply coating material to one face of various forms of shoe parts.

These shoe parts have widely differing characteristics with respect to the material thereof and its degree of flexibility. Moreover, there is a wide difference in the type of coating applied to the shoe parts by the coating machines. Heretofore, no coating machine has been produced sufliciently flexible to coat all the various forms of shoe parts with any desired coating material.

In the simplest form of the front feed coating machine heretofore devised, one face of the work is coated by being passed between a lower coating applying roll and an upper pressure roll which cooperate to bite the work and feed it therebetween, the work being fed to these two rolls by a second pairof feed rolls. These two sets of rolls operating in pairs successively upon the work must be spaced apart, in order to maintain a roll in one pair out of contact with a roll in the other pair. In consequence, the distance from the bite of the feed rolls to the bite of the cooperating coating applying rolls is greater than the length of some of the shoe parts which the shoe industry is required to coat. Moreover, this type of front feed coating machine is objectionable for use with shoe parts which are longer than the distance between the bite of the feed rolls and the bite of the cooperating coating applying rolls,.owing to the tendency of the leading edge of the shoe part to follow the direction of one of the feed rolls, thus necessitating the interposition of directional guiding means between the two pairs of rolls.

The principal object .of the present invention is to produce a coating machine sufiiciently flexible to coat all the various forms of shoe parts with anydesirable coating material.

To the accomplishment of this object, and such others as may appear hereinafter, the various features of the present invention reside in certain devices, constructions and arrangements of parts hereinafterdescribed and then pointed out broadly and in; detail in the appended claims which possess advantages readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the present invention will beunder stood readily from an inspection of the accompanying drawings illustrating thebest forms of the present invention at present devised,

in which,

Figure 1 is a detail view in front elevation,

partly in section, of a standard coating applying machine modified to embody the various features of the present invention therein;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in sectional elevation on the line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail fragmental view in perspective of the stripper finger unit;

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmental view in plan of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of the table unit, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a built-up, rubber ring feed roll.

For purposes of disclosure, the various features of the present invention are illustrated and described as embodied in a standard coating applying machine of the type in which a knurled coating applying roll 1, (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) is rotated in a clockwise direction, (viewingFig. 2), within a coating receptacle 8. In the illustrated em- As indicated in Fig. 4, the coating applying, roll I is of standard construction having a knurled work engaging surface In containing a plurality of spaced stripper finger grooves Ii. The roll I is supported to rotate within the receptacle 8 inthe usual manner and is detachably connected to the main shaft l2, (Fig. 4), in the usual manner.

The corrugated feed roll 9 may be a solid metal roll, (Figs. 1, 2 and 4), havinga series of knurled work engaging lands l3, there being a, shoulder H of reduced diameter between each land forming a groove .15. The feed roll 9 is supported like the coating applying roll 1. hand end of the feed roll 9, (viewing Fig. 1), is mounted to rotate upon a longitudinally adjustable center Hi. The right-hand end of the feed roll, (yiewingFig. 1), is mounted upon a center Il formed upon one end of a short'shaft 18 journailed in the frame of the machine. The feed roll 9 is dogged to the shaft [8, so that it may be rotated thereby and readily detachable therefrom. The shaft I8 is rotated from the main That is, the leftthe coating thereof. The arrows in Fig. 2 indicate the ections of rotation of the coating applying roll and the feed roll.

Instead of a solid metal roll, a built-up, rubber ring roll 2|, (Fig. 6), may be employed. The roll 2| comprises a. shaft 22 which may be supported upon the center l and he dogged to the shaft I8 like the feed roll 9. Mounted upon the shaft 22 is an alternate series of rubber rings 23 and metal rings 24, the peripheries of the rubber rings providing the work engaging lands 25 corresponding to the knurled work engin lands l3 of the solid roll and the periphcries of the 113521 rings 24 providing the shoulders 25 corresponding to the shoulders M of th solid roll.

Instead of employing the usual upper pressure 7 roll to cooperate with the coating applying roll 1, which upper pressure roll would prevent the desirable close proximity of the peripheries of the coating applying roll 1 and the feed roll 9,

the illustrated embodiment of the present invention is provided with a series of guard fingers or blades 21. Each guard finger 21 has a concaved work engaging surface 28, the curvature of which is concentric to the adjacent surface of the coating applying roll 1. Each guard finger 21 is provided with a toe 29 which extends into one of the grooves in one of the feed rolls, thus to prevent the leading edge of the work from following the direction of rotation of the feed roll. The tails of the guard fingers are mounted in slots 30, (Figs. 2 and 4) formed in the upper surface of a square, elongated block 3| having cylindrical ends 32 which are mounted for angular adjustment, respectively, in split clamps 33 and 34. The clamps 33 and 34 are formed, respectively, in the free ends of arms 35 and 35 pivotally mounted from the machine frame.

The guard fingers 21 are secured in the slots 30 by screws 31 threaded into the upper surface of the block 3|, washers 38 interposed between the heads of the screws 31 and the block 3| serving to engage two adjacent guard fingers. The concentric relationship of the work engaging surfaces of the guard fingers with the adjacent work engaging surface of the coating applying roll 1 may be obtained readily in the assembling operation through the rotation of the cylindrical ends 32 of the block 3| in the split clamps 33 and 34. This provision for angular adjustment may be employed to elevate or depress the toes of the guard fingers to meet the requirements of various operating conditions. The desired position of adjustment of the guard fingers may be maintained by any suitable means such as clamping screws.

The relative vertical heights of the fingers and the coating applying roll may be varied through a pair of screws 39, (Figs. 2 and 4), carried by the arms 35 and 36 and arranged to engage the machine frame. The arms 35 and 36 carry pivoted arms 40 and 4|, the free ends of which support a sheet metal guard 42 arranged to partially cover the feed roll 3. The guard 42 may be swung upwardly to expose the feed roll 9, a pair of screws 43 carried by the arms 4|) and 4| and arranged to' engage the arms 35 and 35 serving to limit the approach of the guard towards the periphery of the feed roll 9. The arms 35 and 36 may be swung backwardly, also, to withdraw the guard fingers from proximity to the coating applying roll 1.

In order to support the work and to provide may have a wiping action on the work during a surface cooperating with the feed roll to bite the work and feed it, the machine is provided with a fiat, rectangular plate 44, (Figs. 2 and 5),

herein, for convenience, termed a table." The table is secured by screws 45 and 46, (Fig. 5), to posts 41', (Fig. 2), and 48, (Fig. 5), carried by a floating cross bar 49. Interposed between the bottom of the table 44 and the cross bar 49 is a flat plate 50, the rear edge of which is secured by a winged headed screw 5|, carried by the plate 50, to a ledge 52, (Figs. 1 and 2), formed on the front face of the coating material receptacle 8.

The table 44 is supported from the plate 50 by two levelling screws 53, (Fig. 2), and 54 (Fig. 5), and by one positioning screw 55, (Fig. 2), these three screws constituting a three point suspension for the table 44. To this end, the bottom of the table 44 carries two fulcrum sockets 56 and 51, which receive, respectively, the ends of the levelling screws 53 and 54 threaded through the plate 50. The positioning screw 55 is threaded through the cross bar 49. With this construction, the table 44 is fulcrumed upon the ends of the levelling screws, the rocking movement of the table in one direction being limited by the positioning screw 55 and in the other direction by the plate 50.

In order to urge the rear end of the table 44 yieldingly towards the upper feed roll 9, (or 2|), a headed screw 58, depending from the table 44, passes loosely through the plate 50. A com? pression spring 53 is coiled about the lower portion of the screw 58 and interposed between two washers 50 and 6|, one of which engages the bottom of the plate 50 and the other one of which engages a spring tension adjusting and adjustment locking nut 62 threaded on the screw 58.

In assembling the machine, the levelling screws 53 and 54 are manipulated to level the table 44 and the positioning screw 55 is menipulated to bring the rear end into the proper position relative to the feed roll. When work is introduced in between the feed roll and the table, the rearend of the table will yield under the thickness of the work, the table rocking on the levelling screws 53 and 54. As indicated in Fig. 2, the bite formed between the feed roll and the table is spaced slightly forward of the rear end of coating material from the film thereof carried by the coating applying roll.

As usual in this type of machine, the front end of the coating material receptacle 8 carries an adjustable, flat, narrow plate 63, the rear edge of which is grooved-in a manner to provide two sharp comers constituting, respectively, a doctor 54 and a splash guard 55. The plate 63 fits tightly on the front rim of the receptacle 8, as indicated in Figure 2.

One of the coating materials frequently used in the shoe industry is latex. To handle latex efllclently, it is necessary to maintain it quiescent. But this is impossible in a coating machine of the type described. When latex is used in the coating receptacle of a standard coating machine, the latex is maintained in an agitated state through at least two influences; namely, the rotation of the coating applying roll in the latex and the building up of pressure in the latex in the vicinity of the doctor. When the coatas usual in this type of machine, the work is ing applying roll rotates in the latex, it collects a greater quantityof latex than can pass through the elongated opening between the doctor and the periphery of the roll. The latex n the surface of the r011 scraped therefrom by the doctor collects beneath the doctor and during the continued rotation of the roll this body of latex is not only violently agitated, but pressure is built .of the latex under the influence of the mechani- It is thus clear that this pressure, being.

cal lift of the coating applying roll. Heretofore,

it has been necessary to rotate the coating roll at a reduced speed when latex is used as the coating,

in order to cut down the agitation of the latex in the receptacle.

In order to reduce the amount of agitationof the latex in the coating material receptacle without resorting to the reduction of the speed of rotation of the coating applying roll and to provide means for dissipating quickly the pressure built up in the latex by the damming action of the doctor, the coating material receptacle 8 is provided with a partition 66-, having a curvature subv 1 stantially concentric to the upgoing side of the tween the partition and the upgoing'side of the roll extending from the bottom of the roll nearly to the doctor plate 63-and a wide passage 68 between the partition and the adjacent wall of the receptacle. I

- The partition is provided at its lower corner edges with depending sleeves 69 and 10 which fit over posts H and I2 rising vertically from the bottom of the receptacle 8, screws 13 and M passing through the partition and threaded into the posts serving to secure the partition thereto.

With this construction, the partition 66 limits the quantity of latex which may be drawn upwardly through the passage 61 by the upgoing I side of the coating applying roll and, consequently, reduces the quantity of latex subject to agitation thereby. The reduction in the quantity of latex lifted by the upgoing side of the roll reduces the amount of latex which is dammed by the doctor and, consequently, the amount of pressure built up in the dammed latex. As the partition 66 shields the latex in the passage 68 from being agitated by the upgoing side of the roll 1, a condition ofunbalanced pressure exists between the latex dammed by the doctor and the latex in the passage 68, resulting in the quick dissipation of the pressure built up in the latex by the damming action of the doctor and the continued movement of the upgoing side of the roll I.

Stated in another. way, the latex under pressure beneath the doctor, instead of spurting through the space between the doctor and the upgoing side of the roll, thereby adversely affecting the adjustment of the doctor, seeks the stripped from the coating roll by stripping fingers I5, (Fig. 3), the knife edges of which engage the grooves H in the coating roll. During the stripping action, a flood of coating material follows the work over the stripping fingers. Heretofore, the stripping fingers have extended rearwardly beyond the coating material receptacle, so

"that the flood of coating material which follows the work over the fingers drained outside the receptacle, thus. wasting the material and creating a mess. V

In order that the coating material may drain from the stripping fingers and the mounting therefor back into the coating material receptacle 8, the stripping fingers 16 are mounted on a rod H which is supportedfrorn adjustable centers (Fig. 4) carried entirely within the coating material receptacle. The fingers [6 are individually adjustable about the rod TI and are secured thereon by setscrews 16' (Figure 3) so that each of the fingers 16 will have its edge properly located within its corresponding groove H. The adjustable centers which support the rod Tl by its ends are normally set up tightly so that the rod is securely held against rotation. The individually adjusted fingers 16 are thus held in correct relation to the grooves H, but may all be swung clear of the roll I by loosening the centers which support the rod ii. 7

Nothing herein explained is to be interpreted as limiting the various features of the present invention in the scope of its application to use in connection with the particular machine or the particular mode of operation or both selected for purposes of illustration and explanation. While the particulars of construction herein set forth are well suited to one mechanical form of the invention and to the use to which it is put, it is not limited to this use, nor to these. details of construction, nor to the conjoint use of all its featerms and expressions inclusive of various modifications.

What is claimed as new, is:

1. In a coating machine, the combination with a coating applying roll, of means for feeding the work thereto comprising a roll having its periphery spaced from the coating applying roll a distance commensurate with the thickest piece of work intended to be coated and a table having an path of least resistance by flowing into the passage 68. Thus, the partition 66 provides for a circulation upwardly through the passage 6;? and downwardly through the passage 68.

edge interposed between the two rolls and a surface spaced from said edge cooperating with the second-named roll to bite the work.

2. In a coating machine, the combination with a coating applying roll, of means for feeding the work thereto comprising a roll having its periphery spaced from the coating applyin roll a distance commensurate with the thickest piece of work intended to be coated anda yielding table .work engaging surface concentric with the work engaging surface of the roll, and means for varying the angular relationship between the work engaging surfaces of the roll-and the fingers.

g 4. In a coating machine, the combination with a coating applying roll and a feed for feeding the work thereto including a roll having a plurality of work engaging lands, each adjacent pair being separated by a grove; of a plurality of guard fingers. each having a work engaging surface cooperating with the work engaging surface of the I coating applying roll and a toe extending into one of said grooves. v

5, In a coating machine. the combination with a coating applying roll and a feed for feeding the work thereto including a roll having a plurality of work engaging lands, each adjacent pair being separated by a groove, of aplurality of guard fingers, each having a work engaging surface cooperating with the work engaging surface of the coating applying roll, a toe extending into one of said grooves, and a tail angularly adjustable about an axis parallel with the axis of the coating applying roll.

6. In a coating machine, the combination with a stationary support having levelling screws thereon, of a table fulcrumed on the screws and having a positioning screw supported therefrom engaged with the support.

I. In a coating machine, the combination with a stationary support having levelling screws thereon, of a table fulcrumed on the screws and having a positioning screw supported therefrom engaged with the support, said table and support having cooperating means tending to tip the table about the levelling screws and hold the positioning screw engaged with the support.

8. In a coating machine, the combination with a coating applying roll, of a plurality of guard fingers, at least one of which is mounted to be adjusted about an axis mounted beyond the downgoing side of the coating applying roll and is provided with a work e aging surface concentric with the work engaging surface of the roll.

9. In a coating machine having a coating applying roll, means for feeding the work to said roll, said means comprising a driven feed roll, a table adjacent to said feed roll, and means yieldingly supporting said table.

10. In a coating machine having a coating applying roll, a work-supporting table having an end adjacent to said roll, a pair of point-supports for said table engaging said table on a line parallel to the axis of said roll, a third point-support engaging said table at a point spaced from said line, and resilient means associated with said third support opposing rocking movement of said table about said line as an axis.

11. In a coating machine, a rotatable coating applying roll having a series of narrow peripheral grooves, a rod mounted on the delivery side of said roll coaxially with said roll and adjustable angularly about its own axis, and a series of stripper blades on said rod having edges adapted 'to ride in said grooves, each said blade having means for securing the blade individually to said rod in angularly adjusted relation thereto.

WALTER P. OSGOOD. 

